“THE SILENT, FLEET’ WHO WAS THIS SKY 2 SCOURGE: AIR NEWS-PRACTICAL MODELS-NEW DESIGNS: FICTION CLYDE PANGBORN-GORDON LIGHT-ARGH WHITEHOUSEFAMOUS PLANES IN MINIATURE FORM Authentic One Quarter Inch to the Foot Solid Scale Models EASILY ASSEMBLED SIMPLIFIED CONSTRUCTION WORLD FAMOUS PLANES - |~amnson DEALERS PLEASE +» DEPT. C.C. CHIHOW WOULD YOU FEEL? @ Wet, your boss thinks of you in terms of so much a week! You are worth this or that to him. How much you are worth depends upon— YOU! You decide the amount chiefly by your ability—by your training. Why not increase the amount by increasing your training? Thousands of men have done it by spare-time study of I. C. S. Courses. You are invited to earn more money. Mail this coupon. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS HON 4931, SCRANTON, PENNA. Without cont or obligation, please send me a cops of your booklet, “Who Wins and Why" and full particulars about the subject Before which T have marked Xt alge Ndr ttn = aise timcspeanr Sel Cones Link, ioielEMAJOR GENERAL OSCAR WESTOVER Appointed to the high posi- tion that he hos understudied | as assistant for four years, General Westover has be come chief of the army air corps at the moment when our aiirial forces are ponding 10 history-making strength. America’s air future hos been placed in expert hhands. Born in Michigan in 1883, General Westover has been in the army since 1901; he joined the air force when part of the signal corps in World War days, fend has since performed all sorls of eviation duties. He is a trained belloonist os wel 6 airplone pilot. Since the ‘ir corps reorganization last {year thot created a separate G.H.Q. air force, the office of chief of the air corps has been devoted largely to pro- ‘curemeni—seeing that army fliers get good planes ond plenty of them. One of Gen- eral Westover’s first official acts was to reject bids for 82 new pursuits as unworthy. Under his plans, our corps will equal the best in the world. ALR TRAILS fet Us 6 Pat 08. A STREET & SMITH PUBLICATION VOL. V MARCH, 1936 NO. 6 CONTENTS Bill Barnes Air Novel: 2 THE SILENT FLEET . « From out of the earth's depths they came—no ‘motor roar, no propeller shriek-—to ‘strike with fendish fury! by George L., Eaton This Month’s Features: THIS WINGED WORLD... canes ral The picture story of what's new in the air. PROPELLER DEVELOPMENT. a gu? Illustrated information for aviation students. AIR MAIL ACES +. by Arch WI 18 Fighting fog, fre, mountains in a mad, brave era PICTORIAL HISTORY OF MAN INTHE AIR. . . 21 More episodes for an aéronautic scrapbook. SEE EM AND LEAP! . ees) Dizay photos revealing. a z00 at the airport. THE GRUMMAN NAVY FIGHTER by Frank Tinsley 26 About the F2F-i on the cover. ‘THE FLIER'S DICTIONARY -. by CB. Colby 31 The Aitport—sixth lesson in technical terminology. TRANSPORT, JR. . . by Albert J. Carlson 38 = ‘Detail and drawings of the new Curtiss 19L Coupe. AIR TRAILS GALLERY . . 4 4 pase of pictures of modern planes for the collector. BUILDING THE BOEING P-26A . by Philip L. Mates 43 Complete solid-model plans of a favorite ship. 80 DO YOU KNOW THAT. Short Stories: RAIDERS OF THE BEAM. «by Ken Martin 22 ‘Along the invisible skyway lurked a deadly mezace. WINGS OF VENGEANCE by HM. S, Kemp 28 Whirling, tho figure fell, Was ie to—Journey's End? 1 Departments: THE MODEL, WORKSHOP Conducted by Gordon 8. Light 32 Build the “Thermal Finder" for new duration thrill. WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION?“ conducted by Clyde Pangborn 37 4 Interesting. answers from an expert. AIR ADVENTURERS CLUB. Conducted by Albert J. Carlson 42 “Moving the mountaln—a message for pilots of to-mosrow. (Cover painting by Frank Tinsley) " BILL BARNES tokes off into the For North—and mystery! "THE CURSE of the KILLER” In the April issue of AIR TRAILS Single Copy, 10 Cents deren eta! qe # STREBT & SMITH PUBLICATIONS, ING, 79 7th AVE., NEW YORK, N. ¥.Earn $40 a Week and Up in the FAST GROWING Aviation Industry Make Me Prove I Can Train You at Home in Your Spare Time Sena Coupon for FREE Lesson Walter Hinton reaen faiatle este je start, Then read my frre ings of atjon—tell sou how yo can train’ at home in ature there is in Aviaion—aive vow all the 1 Teach You QUICHLY—at Home in Your Spare Time enone ee en years of experience —five years of ins into my thorough, quickly mastered home No Previous Experience Needed Yen drat ned a he ho, unten don 8 ot We for my bi tas Cet a ie THoroieiNokiinnesoiose. to have you prove to me that you can rain home in my spare tme'Tor Aviation, Sed pe without Get My FREE Book Now! cbligation ‘you free sample lesion, and. your free. book, fund, Dont ete and eh, other gato ery “Wings of Opportunity saa 1 sane a omeidel =| ‘Print Crear WALTER HINTON, President | Adis. . oe Age Aviation Institute of America, Inc. 1115 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, D.C.Pursuit Squadron ilusirate the Boeing P-26A model plans ‘given in this SELF-PHOTO snapped by string to camera tied on glider wing was Waller Craigs way of making this ‘ond wove up to 3. mi power and quarter-wave antenna, allowing student ond instructor to converso while instructor remains on ground. ‘tering close-up!CLYDE PANGBORN rides @ Flea! Sirange conirols bothered. him, he *s0ys, but he climbed 400 feet. MOTOR-CANNON is fighting planes’ sole hope of vanquishing specdy bombers defended by machine guns. The half-ton waight of Hispano-Suiza's 12Yers, geared 600 h.p. V engi absorbs recoil of the connon firing 280 half-pound Y-inch shells per min- tule at 500 yards through proper hub. TIN CAN scale models are John Magarine's p shopes metal into tubing, xing only euting pi outlt to construct practically overy part of planes Gechrmke MECHANICAL “weather man” shown by Pilot Marsh and Mechanic De Gregorio, crew of army plane that es it oloft daily for Horvard 5 tists, collects and radios is report every 30 seconds, The Bunch device notes temperature, pressure, ond humidity in ealestied ite ecoieclonicteaat charts. Advancing weather science, it will help aviation. trons Hlldvers etait se ieSILENT EEEET: by George L. Eaton NE sat at the head of the perfectly appointed table in the dining saloon of his one- sighty-foot eil- burning yacht, Prisilla, The four wives of the goverment officials seated around the table watched with envy Taggart Bone's of the dinner party. The food wa wine excellent, the service perfect, Ou top ‘aggart Bone's conversation anvl wit were posi ively brillant. He was able to carry on a conversation with one person and at the same time detect the wishes of another person at the end of the table. He was the perfect host. He was the kind of lost all the wives present wished their husbands were. His knowledge ranged from mule-shoeing in the off fies to gun-running in China, and exploration in TibetAnd he managed to avoid the odious relating his experiences, He told them in sh interspersing here and there with touches The attorney general of the United States, Everett in with a shock of black, disor- ife looking at him with an ex- He knew Mrs. nents 1 with those of their host. He flushed, ips and plunged into the conversation peaking of gu-running in China,” he said, with the solemnity of a supreme comrt judge “we're having no litle trouble with the Chinese from Cuba into the United States ‘As you know, our immigration laws prohibit the entry of any Chinese into the country, except stuclents and tourists and merchants for a limited But the , concise sentences, Tumor dered hair caught fi pression that was not hard to read, From the earth’s depths they struck without warning— no motor roar, no propeller shriek— in a great Bill Barnes novel of gripping air adventure!8 Chinese tradesmen and merchants already in the country need new help and are willing to pay a good deal to get it. “There is a tong that takes boatloads of Chinese from China to Cuba. Then the same tong smuggles them into the United States using fast speed boats. Tt is pretty easy for them to lose our coast uard boats darting in and ‘out of the Keys off the tip of Florida, ‘The Chinese merchant pays the tong a thousand or twelve hun- dred dollars upon delivery of the man in this coun- ‘ty. ‘The man then has to work about five years, without pay, to reimburse the merchant.” “Tt must bea rather dan- gerous ocenpation,” Bone said. Tt is,” Waters answered, grimly. “But it is more dangerous for our men. We have lost eight men in the past few months, All highly trained government ‘operatives. We recovered the bodies of only two of them.” “And you can’t stop the smugyli “No,” Waters answered. “Wi ‘concentrate on Mexico and Cuba they be ng them over the Canadian border by plane. Ours is a large country.” “FE could stop it!” Taggart Bone said, decisively. Everett Waters flushed and looked at the man angrily. “Why don’t you?” he snapped. “I'll take you on as a special agent and place you in charge.” “When shall T come in to talk to you about it?” Bone asked, evenly. “To-morrow!” Waters growled. “I'll see you at any’ time convenient to you. The job also includes the smng- gling of narcotics, “It is no easy task to keep an eye an ‘our enormous coast ancl border Tines. “Millions of dollars’ worth of dope is being smuggled into the country annually, Right now we're fighting a losing battle with the toughest, deadliest bunch of sniug- glers we've ever had to deal with, Our men have laid trap after trap for them. Ruut they have managed to outwit us, They're no ordinary bunch of gangsters. They rely on brais as much as guns. “For instance, we have certain information that a plane will leave Cisha to-night loaded with Chinese and dope. We even know where it will and. But 1 am not at all certain our men will capture it, This gang of smugglers hhas an uncanny way of learning what we are going to do.” “If all of your men talk as readily as you do,” Tag- art Bone said, smiling, “it is little wonder.” Some one at the table gasped audibly at the audacity of Bone’s remark. All eyes were turned on Everctt Waters’ crimson countenance. For a moment he glared at Taggart Bone as though he intended to leap from his chair and strike him. Then he managed to twist his Rone asked. BILL BARNES Tips into a. smirk that reas half smile and half “I am taking it for granted,” Waters said, “that I/am among people who do not consort with smugglers.” “That,” said Taggart Bone, “is a_ reasonable supposition, 11 come in to see you to-morrow. I think F might be able to work out a. plan.” At ten thirty Taggart Bone stovdl on the main deck of the Priscilla. bid- ding his guests good night. Attorney General Waters followed the secretary of war down the brass-raited steps to the waiting launch, Belore he stepped into the Jaunch he called back to é Bone: “Til expect you Taggart Bone over with your magic wand to-morrow.” “ll be there,” Bone answered. 2 He waved a hand in farewell as the launch pulled away from the Priscilla, Atioriey General Waters, seated in a comfortable chair on the after deck of the launch, granted but not return the salutation. Riding low in the water Priscilla was as spick and span and trim as an English ‘greyhound. But there was no appreciation of her beauty in the eyes of Attorney General Waters as his gaze swept over her. “That man,” he said. turning to the secretary of war, the greatest ass and egoist it has ever been my mise fortune to mect.” ‘The secretary of war smiled under the cover of dark- ness, but did! not reply. He could understand why V ters felt as he did about Taggart Rone. But he i not agree with him. He was of the opinion that Tone ‘was an unusually brilfiant man, It was little wonder to hhim that the President, himself, consulted Bone on mnat- {ers of importance. “Where,” Waters asked, iritably, “did the man come “That.” said the secretary of a question no fone seems able to answer, “It is said that he made an enormotts fortune in oil and emeralds in South Ani He is a man of mystery. He is not unlike that wealthy European who appeared from nowhere, yet had a finger in the allairs of the world. And then, disappeared from a plane one night while flying across the Inglish Channel “He has heen decorated by (xo or three nations and was awarded the Perry gull medal by the International Research Society for his explorations. Te cruises around the world in that yacht, touching at every known, and some unknown, ports.” “Is he an American?” “T believe he was born in Texas.” “T haven't any use for these mystery men,” Waters said, childishly. theAIR TRAILS “He says he can clean up your smugglers,” the secre- tary of war pointed ot “They're much more apt. to clean him up.” Waters: replied. "They're a bunch of ruthless killers with un- al resources at their conmand, ‘The snuggling of dope into the country has become a grave question. Not only are they smuggling in dope, they are sending trained men among school children all over the country teaching them to use their dope. It’s a horrible thing hout publicity, fearing that pub- ike even more children curious 4 of dope. But it is getting a antic organization. ‘The most dangereats evil in the annals of crime, be taking its ronts right in the founelation of the country. Inside the high walls of a garden restausant at the el of the Prado in the city of Havana an orchestra played! soft, soothing music. In the center af the restat- rant a fountain sprayed its cool waters on the beautiful Wh Hower beds surrounding it, Put the sharp Title men of every natinnality: moving from table to table, closing deals, persuasting. promising, cussing sailings and prices had nw cars far the soit intsi, oF eyes for the heautifal Mower beds. ‘They were carrying om a barter in human beings and arranging with photographers to tke photographs of their aliens, the photographs to be attached to forged passports, in case of tramble, Outside the eity of Havana the hnman Leings in which they traded were bar- racked fn rude fitle huts smelling of fish and opinm,” Some of them had been there for six anonths, in abject misery, ‘waiting for their umn to come, Waiting for the night to come when they woul be sipped! aboard a fast express eruiser and raced through the Carib- tan across the Gulf Stream to. the Florida Keys neler the caver of darkness, On this night three amen, evil in their dark eyes and dissipation stamped on their swarthy Be Catares, st show a te ©, Ble pouring drink after nk down their throats. hey liad finished, with their business for that % twelve Chinese and that quarter million dollars’ worth ‘of opium was learning things over his radiophone that re qatised those three in the restaurant no Jule anguish, “Dump all of them—all your cargo,” a voice was say- ing. into the pilot’s car phones. n what authority?” the pilot said into his microp! Q-2 speaking.” the voice came bad order comes direct from Q-1. Proceed to Mianii and Je sure there is to evidence aboart.” : All clear,” the pilot answered, “Q-12 sending—all lear. “The pilot locked his controls, stepped out of his chair and went back into the main cabin of the twelve-place ship. He went hack and leaned over the ugly-faced ‘man who was in the last scat and was half asleep, and automatic strapped around his waist. just had word to dump our cargo.” he said in the ‘man’s car. The ugly-faced man opened his eyes wide, His mouth became @ jagged curl across his face. “Q-2 just made contact,” the pilot said. “Order di- rect from Q-1. That's tops. Let’s get busy.” His face was white as he gazed ont a window into the blackness of the night, Tt was a job he didn't fike, But it had to he done. If 2 man wanted to stay out of jnil he couldn't afford to be squeamish. With no sign f regret, he gazed at the twelve fear-crazed Chinese. They were just so many animals to him. No, not ani- als. A man got fond of a dog or a horse sometimes. "We're over Marquesas Keys,” hie said to the ugly- faced copilot and guerd. “As good a place as any.” ‘The guard worked one of the side doors, on which a special mechan- ism had been arranged to open it against the force of the wind, Without ‘speaking a word lie reached for the collar of the nearest Chie nese. Before the man as aware of te ¢o- pilot’s intention he had been thrown bodily through the door of the speecling plane. As the co-pilot reached for another one the man’s eyes rolled back into his yellow skin. As he be- ‘gan to scream the guard landed one terrific blow ton his jaw. ‘The man's head Sagged forward. The guard whipped his body forward and threw day and had rolled down Adrian Temple it into space. I the tops of their invisible | Alesks. They knew that in the morning, if all went well, they would collect their share of the proceetls from smuggling Chinese and a quarter of « million dollars’ worth of opium into Florida via the air route, They were well satisfied with the deal and they were get- ting drank ove But one hundred miles north of Havana the swarthy- faced pilot of the speciting transport plane carrying those ‘The other ten Chinese were going crazy now. They knew what was going to happen to them. ‘They had heard tales of whole shiploads. of Chinese being thrown overboard when there was dan= ger of capture, They had heard such tales. But they. Thad never believed they were possible. Now they knew, ‘The scene that took place in the cabin of that trans- port would fave burned itself into the mind of the average man so deeply that he would have gone throwlife seeing it, He would have dreamed of it at night and would have heard the shrieks of those Chinese by day all of his life. But the two thugs who beat and Kicked and shot those twelve Chinese through that door into space were not men, They were fiends. They were such things as you read about, but co not believe. Half of the Chinese they iad to shoot and beat insensible before they could dispose fof them, But the Chinese had heen taken by surprise, Most of them were hurtling through the air to their death before they realized what was happening to them. The guard closed the door and wiped the blood olf his face and hands. He looked at the transport with an expression of disgust on his face. “Now we've got to clean all this up hefore we sit down at Miami,” be said “What was the chief's idea, anyway ? “He had word the coast guard and G ing for us,” the pilot answered, were going to land, “Well, it was the chief's dough we threw overboard,” the guard said, “He ought to know what he wants to do with it. Bat T wish he had to clean up this mess.” nn were wait They knew where we IL-ENEMY THREATS AGGART BONE removed his panaina hat, expos: ing a head of iron-gray hair, as he entered the office of the attorney general of the United States the next after- hoon. His clothes were draped on his powerful body as only a Bond Street tailor can drape them. His gray eyes were smiling with his lips when he shook the hand srett Waters extended, “1 thought you might think potter of your offer of last night," Waters sa ‘m still of the same opinion,” Bone answered. ‘What report did you get on the smuggling plane you expected to land last night? Waters’ face became clouded. He muttered something: under his breath before he spoke to Bone. ws he plane landed at Miami with only the pilots aboard. We know for a. fact that it set out from Cuba with twelve Chinese aboard. But they weren't there when it landed. It didn’t put in where we expected it to, cither, They were warned in some way and got rid of their cargo.” “How many people knew where it was going to Jand?” Bone asked. “Barely a dozen coast guard cutter “Who owns the plane?” “It is licensedl in the name of the man who was ying it, But that doesn’t mean anything. It's one of a great many owned by a dope ring. Probably the largest dope ring in history. We don't know who heads it, whether yvernment men, and the officers of aAIR TRAILS it's a syndieate or an individual, We have picked up a few of their men, but we've never been able to get any- where with them, They don’t know themselves where their orders come from,” TL seems to be an endless chi with no one able to follow the links lsick t the beginning. ven the men who peddle the dope don't know where it comes from.” “Maybe I ean figure it ont." Ta ve handled such things before.” “TIL give you a chance to try,” Waters said grimly “But you'll have to work with our men, We're calling in another outsider, also. Me has had remarkable suc cess in the past ferreting out eriminals. We have called him in several times and he has never let us down.” Ft Bone said quietly, evenly, “would be Barnes—Bill F Taggart Rone’s eyes were not smiling now, ‘They were hard and cold as Waters gazed into them with an expression of surprise on bis face “You startled me for a moment,” Waters said, “Pve told no one I intendesl asking Barnes’ help.” “Ryery one knows his reptation,” Bone said, “He is the only logical person to ask for sort.” “What about yourself?" Waters asked, si “E mean, besides myself,” Bone answered coo *Yanr ween to think rather highly of yuursell Bone,” rs said, still smiling, Tut his smile was more sar- than pleasant. Ihave reason to think well uf myself,” Bone replied: “L have succeeded in doing what 1 set ant to da in the 1 have succeeded as a soles of fortanc inva ease of this “Just how as a scientist had taken on the sane childish tone he had used talking to the secretary of war the night before “That,” Bone answered, know that when the rest of Waters shrtigged! his shoulders ly “You don't object to working with Barnes, then fot in the least,” Bone ansivered, “I would like the ‘opportunity, Tama great admirer of Barnes.’ “Fine.” Waters said, “Iam going to tirn you over to James Morton now, Morton is the chief of the bureau of criminal investigation. You know of his ability, of course.” “Quite well work.” He and bi done some nice Il Barnes’ bronzed face wrinkled into a smile of amusement as he listened to the tall, suave man who sat across the room from him, Then he got to his feet and moved across the living room of his bungalow with the grace of a jungle cat, ‘Most of them were hurling through the door to their death before they know whet was happen jing to them.12 He pushed hack a curtain and gazed out across Barnes eld, past the administration building and the traffic hhis blue eyes still Il pay me half a million 1 don't take on the next job offered to me. And if I refuse your offer and take the job you promise that TM he kale “That isn't just the way T pat it,” the tall man said, “bot that's what I meant.” “But I haven't even been offered the job yet.” “It will be offered to you within twenty-four hours,” the man said “And has to do with what?” Bill asked. Adding, “By the way, I didn’t get your name when the guard brought you over.” “Temple,” the tall young man said. “Adrian Temple.” Bill nodded his head, but did not offer to shake hands with the man, Bill liked his appearance and his appar- cent franlness. Yet, some inborn instinct warned him to ‘read easy, It was an instinct he had learned to respect, so he respected it now. “T don't know what the job will be,” Temple said, answering the question Bill had asked @ few moments before. “I am merely here as in intermediary. I don't even know who my principal is. A lawyer came to me and asked me to come to you. Hie told me just what I have told you: sould be offered a job which you would probably he inclined to accept within the next day or two, He said the man he represented would pay you two hundred and fifty thousand dollars when You refused the job and two hundred and fifty thousand 2 month from now. The second two hundred and fity thousand to be held in eserow by any one suitable to you.” “That,” Bill said, “is about the strangest proposition Tye ever received. "Who was the lawyer?” “J don't know that,” Temple said. “I only know what T've told you. AIT know is the name of the lawyer, who practices in Washington.” Then what makes you think the offer is sincere? ‘That your lawyer iriend would ever come through if he hhad 02” Bill asked Temple flushed, reached into an inner pocket and brought out a wallet. From the wallet he extracted a single one-thousand-doliar bill and held it out for Bill to inspect. “That.” he said. “That is what made me believe he was sincere. That is the fee he paid me for just laying the proposition before you.” sted. lose or draw, eh?” ‘Temple nodded his’ head and stuck the bill back into his wallet. “Well, at least you win a thousand bucks,” Bill said. “But thar’ all you win, You can tell the lawyer to tell his principal that he has only made me curious. ‘There is something phony about the offer. Honest_ money doesn’t come at a hali million a clip with the stipulation that I do exactly nothing to carn it, When you get ‘money that way it’s hot money, Bribery, It's the kind ‘of money I don’t care to touch.” “That's final?” Temple asked. “That's final.” Bill repeated, firmly, his blue eyes no longer amused, “Then I have one more thing to tell yor said Temple “1 was instructed to tell you, in case you refused BILL BARNES that you will not live for another forty-cight hours. ‘That that was one thing you could depend on. And he said it wouldn't be a pleasant death.” Bill Barnes’ mouth became a thin, straight line across his face, His eyes narrowed until they were mere slits of fire, ‘The muscles in his cheeks bunched as his hands clenched tightly. An expression of fear danced across Temple's fave, but was gone as quickly. “He asked me to make one more plea to you after F had told you that,” Temple said quickly. “He said if you refused that last plea it would he too late Bill paced the length of the room and back again. "You're not going to tell me anything more?” he asked Temple, quietly “There's nothing more to tell.” “Then you'd better get out, Temple,” he said. “*You'd better get out before I decicle to do something about— about what amounts to a threat on my life. I don’t like threats, I don’t like threats, and the kind I like least are anonymous ones, Get out!” Temple's suave and pleasant manner disappeared as his mouth twisted into a sneer. He put his hat on his head at a rakish angle and shrugged into his topcoat. “Barnes,” he said, unpleasantly, “you're a sap. You're trying to ‘stretch your luck, ‘This time the dice are loaded against you.” He turned the knob of the door leading from Bill's living room into the hallway as Bill whirled, his mind a maelstrom of thoughts. Should he hold Temple? Should e— The door banged behind Temple, Bill jumped for the telephone on his desk. He dialed a num- her and listened impatiently for the answering buzz. A voice sounded in his ear. “Yeah, Bill" the lazy voice of Tony Lamport, the radio chief on Barnes Field, came to hit, “Connect Shorty. quick!” Bill ordered. “Right, Bill,” Tony said. “Ele just checked in.” “Shorty” Hassfurther, a round-faced man of thirty cight who looked thirty-two, wrinkled his blue-gray as he pulled his topcoat off his stocky form and picked up the telephone, “Probably that good-looking blonde with the million dollars in the bank,” he said to “Red” Gleason, a carrot- topped Barnes pilot who had been Shorty's pal since , when they were fiying Spads and S. E. 5s over lines. Red grinned. “She probably wants to give you half of “Are you there?” Shorty said into the mouthpiece, blue eyes smiling “Listen, Shorty!” Bills voice ame back to him. ‘The smile disappeared from Shorty’s eyes and his body tensed. He knew when Bill spoke that war that things were ‘going to happen “F want you to get out to the Wauchuck Road gate as fast as you can, I've phoned the guard to hold up a. ‘man named Temple until you get a look at him. driving a closed car, the guard tells me. ‘and follow him. he talks. Then telephone back. “Got it, Bill.” Shorty said. Bill answered. He's Take my eat Find oxt where he goes and to whom Got it That's all?” Learn everything about him you cat “Shall I take Red with me?” “No,” Bill answered, “Ti Red had better stick around. xpecting some trouble.IIFIVE TO ONE BILL BARNE! paced hack and forth the I his living room, his wands thrust deep in pockets, his forchead furrowed. He was going over and, ‘over the meager information Temple few minutes before ‘There was one bit of consolation from the man's visit, hhe mused, At least he had been warned. He stopped his pacing and picked up the When Tony Lamport came on the nto the mouthpiece telephone again. wire he spoke brusquely “Tell Scotty MacCloskey, ards. Admit no one through the gates until you have checked with Seotty. Stormer and three new Snorters and warn ‘em up, Have them on the line ready for action ell the sound dletector men to keep on. the job, a continal shift. “What's on the fire, Bil “T don't know,” Bill sai ‘ony askedl quickly. “Fim just getting © “Just in case,” Bill repeated. sport from him? He eave Cleveland sometime this afternodn, a few minutes ago,” Touy a Shall 1 put him on? Wiat about Ber? “He's in his rooms, “No. Just tell him to stand by. till in Boston, you know, Bill contact him and order hint back?’ “Contact him and tell him to be ready to hop if he gets orders, Tell Red the same th andy antl order hint back here as. soon as possible. Tell them all to Keep thie ‘Try to pick up 13 “That all, Bin?” ‘Yes—or nd, it isn't, Tell Scotty to check over the omber, also, Be sure her-guns and ammunition are all right. ‘Also the fuel. Better warn her up a little, too. ‘That's all, Tony. Let me know the minute Shorty calls in. 1 expect to hear from him before kong.” Bll sat down at his desk and began to draw de on a white pad of paper. He made a sketch of a tw motored, eenter-wing, cantilever monoplane without Knowing he was doing it, Thoughts marched through {is mind like a division of infantry. Company after Shorty caught him with “0 smashing right. company, regiment after regiment, bri- gade afier brigade. He knew that trouble was coming. He could feel it in his bones. The way old saifing men could tell, when ‘a storm was brewing. Some of them tumed up a storm in one manner, some in another. He thought of sll the other times trouble had flown over Barnes Field Most of the times it had come without warning. A sudden, unexpected low in the dark of night. A blow that had brewed caldrons of death and destruction, Teaving dead! men in its wake. He sickened a li dying men, Men with their heads tors off by machine- gun fire, The twisted, torn bodies of things that had been men, Now it was eoming again. Some malignant force was brewing evil. Some force that would have to be crushed as a poisonous insect must be erushed. The telephone on his desk rang. Ie snapped off the ‘combination ear and mouthpiece and glued it against his face. ‘ill speaking,” he said, ‘There was a’strained, tense quality to his voice now that had not been there an hour be “Pony.” came back, “Sandy just made contact. He says he's taking the Eaglet off the field at Cleveland in a few minutes. Wants to know if there are any orders.” ‘Just the ones I gave you before,” Bill said sharply. ‘ll him to take it easy and keep his eyes open.” He slapped the instrument back on its hooks and took to pacing the room again, This was one of the times ashen he had! to be on his feet, or riding one of his ships.14 He could thinle better when he was in action. His fists ‘were clenched and crammed into his jacket pockets again, He paced back and forth, savagely, like a caged lion that is waiting to be fed. Suddenly, he ripped off his jacket. He tore off his slacks and heavy brogans. In fifteen minutes he was attired in a light flannel shirt, fying breeches and boots. He couldn't stand around waiting for something to hap- pen. He would go and find it even if he didn’t know where to logk. The telephone rang again as he was strapping a heavy automatic around his waist, He snatched it up and growled into the mouthpiece. Pm sending over a kid with a telegram, Bil,” Tony said. Bill slapped the receiver back on the hook without answering. He was working himself into the frame of mind a prize fighter attains just before a fight. He wanted to get into the ring and get the thing over with, He tore open the telegram after the boy had gone and glared at it. Then he read the thing over twice, NEED YOUR MID AGAIN STOP MATTER OF VITAL IN- PORTANCE STOP PLEASE LEAVE FOR TORONTO IMMEDI ATELY WITIL AT LEAST FOUR OF YOUR MEN AND. PLANES STOP YOU KNOW I DO NOT ASK FOR HELP. UNLESS 1 NEED IT STOP The telegram was signed with a single word, “Steel” But to Bill that was enough. Old Cyrus Steel, his fa- ther's friend and his friend, was in trouble. On two pre- vious occasions Bill had taken his men to the rescue of Steel and his far-flung interests in the North country. The last time it had nearly cost Bill and his men their lives. A vision of the mad doctor who had tried to jump Steel's valuable claims flashed through his mind. A mad doctor who had used his medical skill to attain his ends —and cost him his own life. For the third time he got jet Toronto on the telephone,” he instructed Tony. “When you get them find Cyrus Steel. His office or his hhome sliould know where he is. Tell them who is eall- ing. Get Steel on the wire personally and tell him Tl be in Toronto with my men within two and a half hhours. Got it?” “Got it, Bill” Tony's voice was vibrant with excite- ment now. “Get Sandy on the radiophone and tell him to cut north to Rochester. He'll reach there before we do. Tell him to sit down at the airport and T'l contact him. Get Bey and tell him to join us over Albany in an hour. Tell him I'l contact him, too. Tell Scotty to run the Stormer and two Snorters out on the line. Tell Red and Cy T'll be ready to shove in five minutes. Usual equipment. That's all, Tony.” So, Bill thought, somebody is gunning for old Cyrus Steel again. That was the job Temple had warned him about. What was old man Steel mixed up in now? It ‘must he something in keeping with the rest of his colossal fortune if his enemies would pay a half milion dollars to keep him, Bill, from going to his aid. ‘This was the kind of fight Bill liked. ‘The kind of fight where he could help a frien and at the same time ‘stamp out some poisonous growth that was a menace to decent men, Tony Lamport on the tele- ph BILL BARNES Cy Hawkins, a lean, leathery-faced ‘Texan who spoke with a slow Southern drawl, but moved with the speed of a rattlesnake, was already’ in the cockpit of his new- model Snorter and jazzing the engine when Bill walked ‘onto the apron, Beside him, Red Gleason's carrot-topped head, cov ered with a white helmet, poked out of the cockpit of a second Snorter. The sleek, streamlined two-seaters were fresh from the paint shop. Their enameled flanks gleaming in the sun- light, the powerful, double-motored amphibians flaunted their scarlet, black and yellow markings. On the sides of cach ship, just below the cockpit, were stenciled the individual insignia of its pilot. Red turned a grinning face in Bill's dircction as Bill stopped to talk to that dour old major-domo of Barnes Field, “Scotty” MacCloskey. “What's the excitement, boy?” Scotty asked. “Cyrus Steel again,” Bill answered grimly. “I don’t know what is wrong. But it's something serious. He doesn't call for help unless he needs it. He's not the kind to play wolf.” “That he's not, boy,” Scotty said. hear from you.” “Tl get in touch with Tony from time to time. Keep a heavy guard on the field until I get back. I don’t know what is going to happen. Whoever is after Steel may come after us if they know Stee! has asked us for Iiclp. Tell Tony to contact me the minute he hears from Shorty. When Shorty comes back here tell him to stand by with a Snorter warmed up at all times.” “Good luck to you, boy,” Scotty said as he shook Bill's hand. “The transport is O. K.?" Bill asked as he slid into the tiny cockpit of the red-lacquered Searlet Stormer and reached for the throttle, Scotty MacCloskey’s reply was drowned out by the roar of the two twelve-hundred-horse-power Diesels in the nose of the Stormer. The two, three-bladed con- trollable-pitch propellers, turning in opposite directions, became invisible disks. Bill threw a hand above his head as a light flashed in the traffc-control office, Cy Hawkins released his brakes as he pushed his throttle forward, He kicked his rudder and steered his fast-moving Snorter onto the main runway, heading due south. Transverse bands of yellow and black pigment flashed under his wings as his {wing flaps came down and the tail came up. He cased the Snorter off the concrete in 2 long, low climb as Red Gleason took his ship down the same runway with the speed of a runaway locomotive. The sun gleamedi brightly on the lacquered surfaces as he kicked the ship into the air with his usual grace and recklessness. As Bill nosed the Scarlet Stormer slowly toward the run- way, Red joined Cy Hawkins at five thousand feet. Bill flipped his radio switch and spoke to Cy and Red. “Get up to ten thousand. Just cruise along on each side of me at two hundred,” he ordered. “T suppose Tony told you where we're going.” They said he had. “Keep awake,” Bill finished. “A bird working for Steel's enemies told me the dice were loaded against us this time.” Red Gleason laughed into his microphone, “That's the kind of dice T like,” he said. “T ean get more shoes for baby when the other guy thinks his dice can talk, “TM be ans us toAIR TRAILS16 Shorty Hassfurther took a good look at the tall, care- fully dressed man talking to the guard at the gate on Wauchuek Road and faded back behind the windshickd of Bill Barnes’ roadster. His muscular hands gripped the wheel of the roadster tightly as the other car proceeded through the gate Shorty threw the roadster in gear and took a position about two hundred vards behind the closed car, and held the same speed. He managed to slip by a couple of red fights that ht have caused him to lose sight of the ear in front, praying that he svouldn’t hear the blast of a traffic offi ces’s whistle behind him. His luck held good all the way up Long Island and across the Queensboro Bridge. Tt never entered his rind to question the or- ders Bill had given him so peremptorily. For that matter, it never en~ tered the mind of any of Bill's pilots to ask ques- tions. They heard the ‘order and they executed it ‘They knew an expla- nation would come along. in die time, when there was time to give it. Before the closed ear tumed into Fifth Avenue and headed south it ame to a halt before a drag store on a corner. Tem pile alighted, then looked around him carefully and entered! the drug store. As there was no place to park, Shorty drove up alongside the closed car and peered inside the store. He saw Temple enter telephone booth, A few minutes Inter Temple came out and headed the ear toward Fifth Avenue. At the end of the Avenue he turned west on Washington Square North and continued west on Waverly Place until he had crossed Tenth Street. He drew in alongside the curb in front of a three-story stucco building and locked his car. Shorty: waited until he had! entered the front door of the café on the first floor of the buikling. He smiled to himself as he locked Bill's ear. He remembered this place only too well. It was one of those places that had been known as “Luigi's” before repeal. No one had fever spent much money here. Two glasses of Luigi's needled heer had been about all the average man coukl stand. ‘emple was passing through a coor into a little room Lehind the har. Shorty bought a glass of beer at tie ar and took it into the back room. Four men with broad, flat faces were in the room besides Temple. They were sitting in twos at the litte tables, in lowered voices. AS Shorty entered they stopped talking. He could feel their eyes on him as he dropped into a chair and reached in a pocket for his cigarettes. ‘As he lighted the cigarette he swept the room with his eyes. He knew immediately that he was in a tough spot. All of the occupants were watching hin with the intensity with which @ eat watches a mouse, And there wasn't The Marvin Mystery cannon ship. BILL BARNES anything particularly tender about the way they looked at him When he lifted his glass to his lips he saw that one fof the men was shutting the door. “He swung around so that his back was against the wall. Two more of the ‘men were rising from their chairs. As they came oppo- site Shorty they made a lunge at him. They made no sound to indicate what they were going to do; they just did it ‘As Shorty ducked under those first two terrific blows he broke his glass against the wall and raked his hand ‘upward in a fast, vicious move. The jagged ends of the glass tore along the face of a man who had just raised a welt on Shorty’s eye, He was driven back into his chair, The man raised his hands to his face as it became a erimson mass. “That,” said Shorty to himself, “will be Number One.” ' He came out of hiis chair and caught an- other one with a right that had the weight of s whole body: behind it ‘The man’s head snapped ack; his feet left the ground and he, literally, sailed into a corner. ‘Then somet pled on the side of Shorty’s head and drove him to his knees, He felt fect and fists di into his body as he pushed himself upward Tt seemed to him that a thousand fists were pottnding into his face at one time, He faded away against a wall, tried to hold them off while he picked spots to land his punches, They were cursing now, with a low intensity and fe- rocity that made his blood ran cold. He tried to raise his voice to shout as something exploded on his lead again. He felt his face plunge into the floor and man- aged to raise his body so that he was on his hands and knees. “Don't kill him!” he heard a voice say. Then he didn’t hear anything. The whole world ex- ploded. He slumped down, burying his battered face in the sawdust on the floor. Iv—TRICKED BILL BARNES was distinctly conscious of a surge ‘of pride and elation as he made contact with young : inders, the kid ace of his outfit. of hours had passed since the tall, Adrian ‘Temple had come to him to uy him off, In those two hours he had disposed of Temple received a request from old Cyrus Steel for help, and had welded his little squadron together, ready for action at,” day. of ‘superspeed. great deal. You'v ld iron is hot.” he said to himself, “is what it takes in thi Distance means nothing, time a got to be ready to strike while the (Tarnto page 48)——_ 7 Propeller Development bE FARLY PROPELLERS WERE MADE OF CLOTH = WOCDEN FROPELLER COVERED WOODEN OR OF WARTIIE, SHOWING WIRE FRAIIEWORKS. BLADE CROSS SECTIONS fo Eom CME 6 eA FARTS OF A (TODERN WO0D PROPELLER ~ See — EU eee GREE C-7PPING inte tance Fe Akos PROPELLER BLADES ADJUST HERE A ITODERN ADSUSTABLE STEEL PROPELLER WHOSE BLADES (TAY BE CHANGED_/N PITCH. THERE ARE OTHER TYPES WHOSE PITCH /S CHANGED WHILE IN FLIGHT EITHER BY THE ENGINE ITSELF AUTOIIATICALLY, AS A NEW FLYING CI ONITION ARISES, OR BY MS18 Air Mail Aces Thrilling episodes from the unwritten history of a brave, mad era! by Arch Whitehouse HE romantic and adventurous histor oi the air Britain, “They point out that while there were many can be divided into four separate chapters. Chapter Americans in the World War, our airmen did not fly One heyan on December 17, 1903—the day the American planes, which is about equal to asking a con- Wrights first flew their contraption of linen and bamboo bey to perform his round-up duties astride a mle. ‘over the North Carolina dunes at Kitty Hawk, Be that as it may, we know now that Chapter Three 50-second hop started the era of heavier-than-air fying tion adventure and romance is so thoroughly which brought with it ga that it is likely to become an important chapter reversed goli caps and “flying exhibitions” around race in history. We reler to that hair-raising courses that hal been designed for horses. The chapter period of sky-punching that sav the birth of the air mail neared its end with Louis Bleriot’s amwving 23-mile It started with a bang on May 15, 1918, a few months Aight across the English Channel on July 25, 1909. before the war ended, when the first air mail route was Chapter Two began on August 1, 1914 and ended on opened between New York and Washington. Even this ‘ovember Hth four years later. ‘The World War era historical point is as dizzy as the air mail era itself, for no one seems to be able to niake up his mind just who flew the first bag and we have given up trying to answer the qu tion, “At any rate, the first regwlar ser ie was started on this date. The air mail cera enced only recemly, with the retire iment of the fast open cockpit plane, a Title Pi Mailwing, from service. Fall ceremonies, ing a brass band and spceciies from Eddie Rickenbacker and others, marked the occasion, D. H. 4s were the first mail planes. Here's one still flaunting its war paint. did. many things to aviation, Some have said that it made the airplane, while others declare that the changes developed in war skies were really military advances and tio way actually inyproved man's ability to fly, At any rate, it brought the deadly romance of aérial combat and glamorous fighting airmen, who for a short space of time were young govls in the eyes of the world, More stories have heen written about war-time flying than any branch of any service ia any army. While the World War provided amazing adventure for thousands Chapter Four is unfolding to-tay—the commercial era of young men, I have been told by men in the publishing of high-speed transports, instrament flying and. long- ss, who should Know, that war Mlying adventure distance over-water flights on regular schedules. There never really won the devotion of the American is romance in it, but the bors of the war and air outh, ‘They say that it all happened too far away and years don’t thinks so, I's a business, and there's no that American airmen were not in it long enough to sentiment or romance, they absorb the spirit of air warfare and bring it hack to If you have any doubts this country, as it was in Germany, Liberty-powered, lite the D.H. 4, the “Jenny” served faithfully. sel, in modern business bout adventure in the air ice, and Great mail days, just turn back the pages of aviation history18 Air Mail Aces Thrilling episodes from the unwritten history of a brave, mad era! by Arch Whitehouse HE romantic and adventurous history of the air can he divided into four separate chapters. Chapter One began on December 17, 1903—the day the Wrights first flew their contraption of linen and bamboo over the North Carolina dines at Kitty Hawk. That 50-second hop started the era of heavier whieh brought it gayly-colored kn reversed golt caps and "flying exhibitions” around a courses that had been designed for horses. ‘The chapter neared its end with Louis Bleriot’s amazing 23-mile fight across the English Channel on July 25, 1909 Chapter Two began on August 1. 1914 and ended on November Ith four years later. The World War era the first mail. planes. Here's one still flaunting its war paint. id. many things to a Some have ‘tid that it macle the airplane, while others declare that the changes developed in war skies were really military advances. and jn no way actually improved man’s ability to fly. At any rate, it brought the deadly romance of aerial combat and glasiorous fighting airmen, who for a short space of time were young gods in the eyes of the worl, More stories have been written about w in any branch of amy service While the World War provided amazing adventure for thousands ‘of young men, I have been told by men in the publishing inusiness, who should know, that war flying adventure Inns. never really won the devotion of the American youth, They say that it all happened too far away and that American airmen were not in it long enough to absorb the spirit of air warfare and pring it back to this country, as it was in Germany, Francs, and Great Liberty powered, Britain, They point out that while there were many: Americans in the World War, our airmen did not fly American planes, which is about equal to asking a cow~ oy to perform his round-up duties astride a mule may. we know now that Chapter Three ure and romance is so thoroughly to hecome an important ch story. We refer to that hair-raising period of sky-punching that sav the birth of the air mail, It started with a bang on May 15, 1918, a few months before the war ended, when the first air mail route was ‘opened between New York and Washington. Even this point is as dizzy as the air mail era itself, for no one secnis to be able to make up his _,tnind just who dew the first bag and we have given up trying to answer the ques- tion, At any rate, the first regular serv ice was started on this date, The air mail cra ended only recently, with the retire- ment of the last open cockpit plane, a and speeches from Fildie Rickenbacker and others, marked the occasion. f the D.H. 4, the “Jenny” served faithfully. Chapter Four is unfolding to-d era of high-speed transports, instrument flying and tong- Gistanee over-water lights on regular schedules. ‘There is romance in it, but the boys of the war and air. mail years don’t think so, It's a business, and there's no Sentiment or romance, they feel, in modern business. Tf you have any doubts about adventure in the air rail days, just turn back the pages of aviation historyand you will find the announcement that the post ofice department decided to issue a metal for gallantry in the air where safe conduct of the mails was eoncerid. It is known as the Air Mail Flyers’ Medal of Honor. It was instituted as a national decoration during the last Hoover administration, and Mal B. Freeburg, who was then connected with the Northwest Airways, was offi- cially. awarded the first honor medal to he struck off, Freeburg, the beau ideal of the air no matter how you look at him, has a re~ markable record as a transport pilot Here's the trick that won him the first sir mait medal He was flying a Ford tri-smotor job ‘over Watasha, Minnesota, along the Northwest Airways route one night when the ship began to do a wild fandango. Steadying his craft, which was carry- ing considerable mail and eight passen- ers, Freeburg called his base at St. Paul is conversation ran soniething like this “Freeburg calling. Plane No. 187. Douglas’ M-1 was a civil version of the army's 0-2. Over Wabasha. Starboard propeller broken. The officials of the line saw hlack headlines, a grue- some crash, possibly the end of the line. They could do nothing Iut ran around in circles. Young Freeburg flew straight on ‘Then came another message from Freeburg’s muzzle- ‘Freclurg again. Motor vibrating bailly. Looks like she's coming clean out of the spider. Have to do some- thing about it. Will report later.” The voice of the airman was cool, remarkably cool. It settled matters in the control tower at St. Paul, ‘The officials sat down and waited For ten minutes they waited, sitting on tenterhooks. They could see in their mind's eye the great motor trembling. dancing, jerking, ripping out connections, ‘capper tubes and electric cables. That motor weighed 500 pounds. Suppose it fell! A 500-pound missile hnurtling toward the sleeping villages below! It would ive crushed che average humic to splinters. ‘Then ina minute the calin, cool voice of Pilot Freeburg came to them again “Freeburg report ine all clear. Heading for company emergency field. Have reliof ship waiting, Passengers all O. K." 19 That was all. They heaved a gigantic sigh of relict Later on they learned that Freeburg had maneuvered his crippled ship out over the Mississippi River when he saw that it was certain to lose a motor. He re- assured his passengers, rolled the Kord over into a steep bank, and with a sudden jerk of his control wheel and the throttles of the two remaining engines, he forced the disabled motor loose and saw it plunge 3,000 feet The M-2, slightly faster. Both Douglas ‘mail planes used the 400 hp. Liberty. vith a mighty splash inthe hare delicacy he maneuvered the Ford bac! i i on the two damaged wing. For twenty-five miles he flew her and finally set her clown on the emergency landing field with the aid of his own parachute emergency. flare: ‘The passengers did not know what had actually happened until they were being transferred to another plane, Freeburg apologized for being an hour Iate—but he was two months late to get his Air Mail Medal! Me was always too bitsy flying the mail to get to it There is more to the Freeburg log. A. short time before the Ford motor episode, he was flying across Minnesota one night when he noticed an important ra road trestle burning on the C. B. Q. Railroad where it crossed the Chippewa River. Frechurg stared down at it and then remembered that he had passed the night express of the line hurtling down from Minneapolis. It was heading at breakneck speed toward a bend in the line that hid the burning trestle from view. “The mail must go through!” was the air mail pilot's creed, and Frechurg realized that any effort he might make to save the train would probably prevent him from keeping his schedule and jeopardizing the line's contract with the government, The twist to the situa- tion lay in Freebure’s realization that if his Tine lost the mail contract, the railroad whose night express was thundering along below him to its destruction would probably get the mail contract instead. But there was no time to question business points Nosing down like a bullet, Freeburg screamed over the burning trestle first t make sure that it was really on fire, “Then, sitisfying himself that there was real danger, a ——20 he Rew along up the tracks toward the oncoming express. He dropped his landing flares direetly om the tracks and so blinded the engineer that he was unable to see the lox ahead, Naturally the engineer slowed down and in doing so, cased around the bend and saw the burning trestle in time. Freeburg ignored his own dan= ger in risking a possible emergency himself without a Janding flare of any sort in his tubes, The Chicago Daily News printed the story, once it ‘yas straightened out, and offered Freeburg a check for $100. The railroad ‘sent a beautiful gold watch too. Freeburg sent his thanks, but never went to col ‘They had to mail them to him, He was too busy fying the mail, But Freeburg’s adventures are fairly modern compared to the wild, carly days of the air mail. The ships he tnsed were first lass, the motors reasonably reliable and the routes carefully marked every ten miles with lashing eacons. ‘They had real airports, not cleared cow pas tures. Radio was steadily improving to the point where to-day the Knights of the Muzzle Mike are in constant touch with the ground, and the meteorological system hhas developed so weather is forecast with precision. The early days were touched with the air madness that lingered from the war. Pilots did strange things to relieve the comparative security of mail fying. There rwere no skulking Huns to worry about, no Archie shots, no hackle-itching formations to keep. In addition they were getting a small base pay and addtional fees for day or night mileage. As long as you flew you made anoney, but as soon as the fog. sleet, snow or rain slipped in, the ankeroll dwindled. Consequently they cager to take off again as soon as they could, come heaven, hell or high water. No woniler the early days of the air mail provided so many amazing ad- venture: They flew old DAH, 4s with the “re- owned!” Liberty en fgines. They flew in and out of anywhere tunder almost any con= ditions. At the be- ginning, soon after the war, there was no seat-pack parachute. They didn’t come into wniversal use until some time in 1923, almost five years after the war ended. Pilots crashed everywhere. ‘They hit everything from bay- stacks to towering industrial chimneys, But somehow the mail went through—a bit scorched perhaps. but safe Those were the days of helmet and goggle pilots w! wore the old war-time Sidcot suits and fur-lined flying hots, and emerged from their ships looking like some- thing from Mars. To-day, air mail pilots sit in com- parative comfort wearing nat blue suits and sauey type eaps. ‘A pilot who is well known to me, but whom T shall call Fred McHugh, took off one night from Cleveland still sat out 19's 40-B4 launched the modern era in 1927. The pilot bbut four passengers and mail rede snugly. BILL BARNES: to Newark. He had 900 pounds of registered mail in the compartment of his old Douglas. The 390-mile trip took him across the Pilot's Graveyard, as the route over the Allegheny Mountai Known,” It was easy to fly over “the hump laylight. All you had to do was to follow the line of crashed planes or hook in with the black spots that represented the final resting places of many a flamer. Freddie McHugh had imagination, and he often won dered whether this mail business was worth it. But he needed the job. Whenever he was reluctant about a he used to go over to his plane, stare at the “U. ‘insignia painted on the side, elick his heels and After that he would clin into the cockpit. question, Freddie might have called Wf that he had tet Uncle Sam down, for the meager weather reports from Newark were not ‘encouraging. ‘There was bed weather upstairs, and rain and fog drenching the Cleveland field. He had a radio set, but once he had taken off, hoping to find a hole at the other end over Newark, the set went dead, of course, and he was entirely on his own, ‘He climbed to 12,000 fect to make certain he would clear “the hump,” but ice began to form on his wings and he had to go down, visk bashing into a mountai For four hours this nerve-racking flight went on, and he seemed no nearer a hole than he was when he started. Four hours at 115 m.p.b. and no sign of Newark. The salute, instruments danced, strange gusts hit the ship. And Ielow him nothing but a thick blanket of fog: Freddie MeHugh miglt have said: “No use. Might as well turn jifand again and take to the sille What does 900 pounds of mail mean in my young fe?” But he didn't. He took another look at his fuel gage and took a chanee. He nosed down, down, down. ‘Then he eased out, glad to be alive, and pulled a parachute flare toggle. ‘The white ball of fire showed nothing but the enraged rollers and whitecaps of the he asked his reflection in the instrument dials, Me turned westward ‘again and sought land, For nearly an hour he raced on. At last he caught a dim, flicker- ing light. He eased in gently and discov- cred! that it was the friendly beam of Montauk Light out on the tip of Long Island, ‘He might have bailed ont then, for the fuel gauge showed zero. But he circled the light twice and hoped for a lreak. ‘The break came in the most unexpected manner, I sounds like fiction, but it was fact. ‘A member of a village fire department was air-minded enough to realize what was happening. A fire alarm was sounded, and as fast as the volunteer firemen re- sponded! they were sent «xt to the North (Zurn to page 76)— —s | PPicoill Hasty f Mam inthe, T8355" THE LAGLE; BUILT BY COTE THE PUBLIC. 17S WORLD CIRCLING HUGH? FAILED. 1835 JOHN WISE, OF 5/835 DIERRE FERRAN, PHILADELPYVA, STARTS. “ OF FRANCE, INTRODUCES | HIS 0 YEARS AS THE . WS ALTAZING FEVOLVING | | PREPWER AMERICAN ~ OIRIGIBLE PROPELLER | AVIATOR. 440 FLIGHTS \ iia) 1837 SiR GEORGE CAYLEY Pr Yy PRESENTS. THE FIRST /W- 7ERMALLY BRACED A/p- * SHIP THIS WAS. ONE OF THE 1/7087 UIPORTANT OF ALL LARLY IMPROSINTS © IN AIRCRAFT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DETAIL.22 PRING MILLETTS came out of the met. office at Chieago into the damp night air with a completed ‘Hight plan in his hand, He had a cold scowl across hiis broad, Ihandsome face, which was w= stil for Spring Milletts. Dale Crowell, the hostess, ‘caught it at once and glanced up briefly at the business of- fice of the big Gordon air liner that stood at the plat- form, "You're taking her, aren’t you, Spring?” she asked anx- iously. “What do you care?” Mil- eats growled back ‘But Dick—his mileage— He needs another four hours.” “So T shoul hump this cow through that stuff up there, just to get him co-pilot time, ch? Well, Tim not sure I'l'do it, It's erazy to take chances Hike that, “But Dick won't get another chance for a New- ark rin until Thursday—you know the routine, He only needs four hours to get over. They're putting No, 704 into service on Friday for the holiday runs, Dick wants that seat.” Spring Milletts wasn't really that sour. He was just cautious. The tape had read: “Cleveland weather re- port: Ceiling 900 feet and dropping. Visibility 2 miles: thickening haze. Wind NE3. Barometer 29.19." ‘That was no weather for air transport, even with a beam, The Newark tape was worse. Spring Milletts had been humping this ran, aboard something or other, for about as long as he could re- member. He wanted to be the oldest pilot in the game— not the bravest. He'd been shopping for weather in the meteorological ig for a break. After all, he weeded. the not just base pay. Bat there in everything. “Ceiling 900 feet—and dropping! he snarled under this breath There was a 1D. of C, law that forbade attempting a Junding through anything under 500. Te wasn't throw ing his ticket away for any hostess—even though she did ook like something that had escaped from Park And as for Dick Thurlen, he'd have to wait extra four hours that woud complete his eo- pilot time. “We can cut across from Sandusky to Pittsburgh and avoid that low-pressure area,” Miss Crowell reminded. “Then you can take the Harrisburg beam through into Newark.” “Providing we can find Pittsburgh—and then New- ark,” growled Spring. “Look here, Tl do the planning fon this run. T happen to be the pilot. You take eare of your lunch box« Miss Crowell, completely subdued, went back into the cabin and readjusted a few headrest napkins that were already perfectly smooth. Up front she could hear Dick Thurlen making a test on their day frequency swith the line dispatcher. "Whet's the matter? Don't you like life?" demanded the mon with the gun. by Ken Martin Raiders of Along the invisthle trail line through the night, ruth- “Plane No, 702, Chieago, testing. Go aliead,” chanted ‘Turlen into the mike. In his ears buzzed: “Chicago to Flight 9. O. Then Dick checked with the control tower: No, 702 to WEEH. What's the wind? Go ahead.” “WEEH to No, 702, Wind $6. Use’runway No. 3.” "0. K. WEEH. . . . We will if Millets gocs. How's traffic?” “Dud from here to Bellefonte, tion run, Thurlen?” It was Baxter, the operator. young Thurlen, “Need four more hotirs. Getting that extra sex He was interested in Looks like Blaine will beat me to it, He gets a western ron on Flight + in the morning.” Too bad, Dick. Like to see you get it. Sorry. 0. K,, go alead, Cleveland.”the Beam that guided the great air less treachery lay in wait. listened in while the Cleveland operator hand the bad news from the east. “Visibility zero, all trips cancelled— “Dann!” spat ‘Churlen, flicking off the switch above his head and hanging up his hand mike. He peered out of the window and saw Spring Jeits talking to a dispatcher who had a manifest sheet in his hand, A postal clerk ran a small truck out, while thro uniformed guards stood by, their hands on their gun butts, “Helio. sali Tint they had the nose of the Gordon open now and were stowing several shapeless packages into the freight compartment, ‘They were tied with heavy cords and Dick noticed that they were slugged with stamped lead discs What's the gag?” Dick ‘Thurlen asked him- 23 “Whew! We picked up something hot this time: Looks like real government stuf, with all those medals. Maybe welll get off yet. He turned and saw Miss Crowell in the cabin aisle, counting the passenger flight aps. } “What's up, Dale?” he asked. i “We must he doing it, They just flashed the “Aboard? signal inside. Four Inave souls trying it. Must ‘want to get somewhere very quick) The port the baggage out of Ul weighing room and down the runway to the freight door near the tail. Milletts was staring down at his Aight plan again ging his head one more!" Dawled the man with the manifest. “He's inside plugging through a long distance call.” Two women, tired and drawn, stepped in and took their seats up near the front cockpit bulkhead. Miss Crowell checked their names off on her passenger sheet. “Will you be requiring transportation in Newark?" Taxi to the Lehigh Velley station, that’s all,” the tall thin one replied. ‘Two men, heayy, carefully shaven, and bundied up in heavy ulsters, ehimpedt up the steps and took their ‘on opposite sides. “How's the weather, baby?” the dark one asked. “Good enough,” Dale Crowell replied handing him an illustrated map. “You'll get there O. K." “Little fog, isn’t there?” “L wouldn't know. I'm just ah need a brown paper bag, will you? “Not the kind you hand out, kid,” the dark man growled. Then he looked across at the other man, and winked. But the man across the aisle was staring hard out of the window toward the reception room. You won't tess, DICK THURLEN started the motors and_bawled at the Tad with the wagonload of batteries. ‘The big Tornado motors bellowed into an initial roar before the co-pilot throttled them down to idling speed and checked the fuel, He ran his fingers over a small white slide rule and then peered over the side to where Milletts was s Hight plan, Dick Thurlen’s mind raced fast as he started to fill out his flight observation report—Form O-456-C. He crawled in the date, the flight number and Millets’ name in the upper left-hand comer, and grinned. Tt meant so much to him, this flight. His required co-pilot time, He would be ready for a frst-pilot rating. and a star under his gold wings, A jerk up in pay. And Dale Crowell!Beet ck prayed for e fog to hold. a Doors banged somewhere and Spring: Milletts eame up into the cockpit and sat down in the left-hand scat. “Pretty confident we were going, eh? I like to give the orders for starting the engines myself. You're in a rush, aren't you?” “Sorry, Spring. I just thought-——" “Quit thinking. We're going, don't worry—but not becatise of you and that—well, not because I want to get you four hours, Thurlen, We got to go. See that stuff they stowed up front? Washington! Government stfi—it's got to go through—and to hell with it. T say.” ‘There was nothing for Diek to say. He sat down again and took up the F. O. R. and continued to fill in the spaces. Milletts leaned around’ the door and bavled into Miss Crowell’s car: “All right. Put their belly bands on.” ‘The girl went ack down the aisle and ordered the safety belts tightened for the take-off. Millets glanced at his terminal and elearance sheet, jabbed a few figures ‘on it and stuffed it under a rubber band that twanged on a board at his left elbow, “All clear?” “All clear!” Milletts stared out at the battery boy and got the signal that the cables were clear. He jazzed the throt- tes and moved away down to the east end of the No. 3 runway and turned her into the wind, “Plane No. 702 to WEEH. O. K. to take off?” ‘Thuclen barked into the mike. "0. K., 702—all clear.” “AI clear, hell!” snorted Milletts. fools!” He shoved the two throttles fo ‘motors opened up with a dull roar. g “We're damn vardl gently and the ‘Around them faint BILL BARNES pin points of light marked the boundary and the tower lights. Already the slanting windows were streaked with condensa- tion, No. 702 raced down the runway and disappeared into the fog. MILLETTS barked at ‘Thurlen : “Up gear, Thurlen!” The co-pilot nodded and ratcheted away at a stec! lever that drew the wheels up into the motor nacelles They climbed to 3,000, turned out over the lake and flew for about eight minutes. Then ‘Tinurlen snapped on the set and reported. Words came hack: “Chicago to Flight 9—go ahead.” “Pittsburgh to Plight 9—go ahead.” The two cities hac contacted No. 702 Thurlen_ reported again: “Plane No. 702 to Pittsburgh. Two miles south of Gary at 8,000. Ceiling 400. Visibility half mile. Temperature 70’ a Both Pittsburgh and Chicago replied and Thurlen wondered what the operat- ors thought of it. “Okey doke, Pittsburgh and Chicago,” he replied, waiting for further onders from Milletts, ‘The pilot said nothing, but stared ahead at his instruments, He was flying blind. The co-pilot was about to switch off and take up F. O. R, sheet again, when he caught a message that hield his attention. For several seconds he listened, frowning. “—Blau gas system gone haywire. Advise Norris and ask for solution, May be able to make fick! on northeasterly wind. Keep erew and hangar ready.” The clock ahead was ticking on and Thurlen had to fill in the sheet before him for the check point above the Goshen beam, He flipped the switch off, but con- tinued to ponder on the strange message. Blatt ga créw—and hangar—what the devil did that mean? They hit Cleveland and Pittsburgh dead on the nose, ng along the beam. ‘The ceiling was about 600 at Pittsburgh, but Milletts ran her over the beam and ound the cone of silence, flew on for four minutes and Drought her down to 800 feet again and glided in until hhe came out over the long runway and ran in, That was modern air Tine navigation. “What's it like at Newark?” Milletts demanded over his mike of the control tower man, while his tanks were filled again, and a new passenger, a tall, thin, sallow rman, was made comfortable “Thiele as soup—ceiling less than 600. You might make it, Spring: “T hope so. What runway?” “Use No. 2 when that Amalgamated ship gets away.” One of the passengers came up and stood in the doorway. Milletts grinned and answered one or two routine questions and turned back to the F. O. R, sheet. Ina minute Thurlen returned panting and perspiring. “Where were you?" ‘Turn to pour 38)650 HP. MACHINE DOUBLE-ROW Guns ENGINE \ CONTAOLLABLE,\ PITCH —\ 7} PROPELLER \ LANDING ~ WHEEL, WELL SLIDING ENCLOSURE om A aaancen fueron BaanceD i RUDDER PETRACTABLE WHEELS. The Grumman Navy Fighter Some details of the new high-speed single-seater— the plane on the cover. by Frank Tinsley WO issues back, in an article on the hig four- motored Bocing bomber. I told of the controversy now raging among military airmen as to whether the new high-speed), long-range bomb- 3 Jim lighted a cigarette, “Fog: thick as soup. Tried to’get under it, Int had to camp at Three Falls." He gave another look at the damaged plane; grinned pro- vokingly. “One of these days they'll hire pilots who ‘can land a ship without tearing her apart.” “And one of these days,” came baek Art Nelson, hotly, “they'll give us planes to fly, instead of a bunch of junk, Anyhow, if you haven't had breakfast yet. you'd best head for tie cook shack and talks pretty: to old Joe. you're heading out again—tight soon.” da gently inquiring eyebrow. “That so? ‘Says me!_I'm booked for a trip to the Churchill with yin) MeGillvray and Fd Durant; but the way things “Too Ink" sympathized Jim, “Much too bad. On the other hand, after a straight month of work, I'm en- titled 10 a couple days lay-off, And, brother, T'm taking it.” With which ultimatum, Jim Brett swung on a heel aud started for the cook shack,ww There it was that Art Nelson found him some mo- Jim had shed his parka and mitts, taken 2 wash, and was now attacking a plate of ham and cggs. Art begged a cup of coffee from the hakl-headed cook. and sat at the table heside Brett. T've een thinking,” he announced. the way yon're worked—fecl sorry for you ancl all that—but at the same time I'm sort of sorry for myself rt so regular as they have been, and a is nothing to be sneezed at. All “You'd better quit that,” suggested Check hier 01 going to town sometime this morning, so if you'll give me a list of what's broken on th factory for the part. Dupuis gave a sour grunt. “Do this; do that! Pity some of you haywire pilots wouldn't rustle a bit your= i figure to look after one phine; not a whole twoehundred-tollar tr of which leads up to a suggestion: How’ and take the Churehill trip? inich doing for a few dayss—not till the mail goes And by that time I'll either be hack, oF the repairs for ARO'M be in, What say? Going to lehd me Brett gave the matter ponderous thought. likely strip her wings or tear her floats (of spruce you pass over. Jay off to get hier skis on—we On the other hand, if T say no. ye live with as a nest of skunks. i “Help yourself!” "And a word to you.” Art grinned. have to fly that junk of » Coming in the other day T' froze every “Tell Pennerton, tht ¢ big shot, the oue who signs the checks. Or, suddenly added ‘men waiting to take your place.” shot thing; thought better of it, and pushed over toward the off on the first Resides, she ought to Ihave a freeze soon, he as pleasant to ahead!” he said re- ain't he?” said Jim to Art Nelson, “Been jinks you pulled a fast one on him.” But Art Nelson gave his usual expansive smile. “Trouble is he don’t reali Good man, T ure,” agreed Jini. “That busted strut for evi- ine, take a look at th “1 ell Dupuis dump,” Jim pointed ont log and barking myself Some time later the two men went down to the ramp. the swarthy-faced Airlines mechanic, was work= ing heaeath the d Him being the mechani "T don't believe was a hulking, weather-beaten man in faded whipcords Gillvray, one of the best-known prospectors Durant’s bosom crony and a stod Down he plummeted, arms and legs spinning like a pinwheel. Was it to—Journey’s End? “Ants flying and gas her all she'll take. “Tm job, TH wire the "advised Brett, coolly. "he “get off the job. ‘There are a dozen ma surly glance, started to say some= u got the pilot's job on ARO. you can’t keep a good! man icl—meaning me.” hour an automobile arrived at the base the property of Ed Durant, ng speculator of Riverdale. With Durant The third passenger was Pete Lester, ind-bond broker inThe car slithered to a stop and the three men piled out. Durant led the way to where Jim and Art Nelson were standing in the open doorway of the bunk house. “Lo there, Brett! You flying us North?" “Not me,” Jim assufed him, “Art’s your man.” Durant pulled out a fistful of cigars and passed! them around. “I ain't fussy who fies me, so long as I get thers im lighted his smoke.“ ‘There, and back again “Canny, ch?" Jim smiled. “Just what itis. And if orders once we're in the air.’ Pete Lester, fat and jovial i skin coat, gave a wheezy laugh “You guys are good! Old Dan figures he's found something better than pig iron, and right away you ‘blow in two or three hundred bucks to prove whether it is or not. Me, now, I'm different. The stuff T got fined up ain't no’ gamble. Tt’s been assayed, and runs igh. Maybe,” he suggested to Jim, “I can get you to fly me on a staking trip?” “You can,” allowed Jim, “But not right away. Any how, why not go with Durant and share the expense Pete Lester shook his head. “Different direction. joing far?" ‘Must be a staking trip.” t's the pilot, Art'l get his a thousand-dollar otter- Then again, I'm not just ready. Durant and McGillvray turned to the car and hauled cout pack sacks and a grub box. nt a hand; and while so engaged, Durant gave Jiin-a hint of what was Dack of the trip, “Dan ain't after pig iron. pretty fair-looking stuff north of the Churchill, He ‘was too low on grub to stop and stake right then; so he hit for town and told me about it. If the stuff’s any good, Dan and I go in together on the thing. T pay all expenses, including organizing a company, andl Dan He plundered onto some gets half the grift. “Fair enough,” agreed Jim, “What say, Dan?” Dan McGillvray’s weather-heaten face broke into a slow smile, “Tai 't lookin’ for no fortune, Five thousand’ll be Just so's I can send Larry over to London, ith an answering smile. “And young Larry MeGillvray—Larry with hi ‘and his cheery smile; Larry, waiting for the day when his dad shoukl make the “strike” that would enable him Riverdale to the world-famous “Yeah, Dan.” Jim nodded twisted body specialist in Harley Street again, “Here's hoping.” The dunnage was piled into the Fairchild’s cabin. Art Nelson, Fd Durant and Dan McGillvray took their chairs, "Jim, who was nearest the door, heard Art ask a question of Durant “Sure you know where we're going?” “Sure,” was Durant’s reply. “We got a map, ain't we, Dan? But Dan McGillvray seemed more concerned with his present trip than its destination. “T feel like I was out in the middle of a lake with a Droken-backed canoe. Go easy now, Art. No figure fights in the air to scare an old bush rat like me!” ‘Art Nelson gave a laugh, gave a meaning wink to Brett in the open doorway. BILL BARNES “Don't fret, old-timer. TF T take you up, you'll sure come down.” ‘A moment later, the blast of the engine ent off fur- ther spe Down on the ramp in front of the base, Brett stood with Pete Lester watching the take-off, “Art and his passengers were away—roaring toward the Narro rising in the air, Now Art brought the ship around in a wide bank, coming toward the base ag Between Clearwater and Caribou Lakes was a dry hop of twenty miles, To give himself the necessary margin of safety, Art was climbing for altitude, He passed the base: headed south. ‘Then he was coming back, roaring north behind the camp at two thousand feet. “Great life you fellers got,” grunted Pete Lester. But as Jim watched, the nose of the Fairchild dropped sharply. ‘The tail came up. To Brett, Art was going into a power dive. He remembered Art's laugh; and his wink, Tt might be all right to give old Dan’ Me- Gillvray a thrill—Art was a era7y cuckoo, anyway, but with a heavy ship, Art wasn't allowing himself much room, Behind the base, over the hills, the ship maintained hher roaring dive. "Jim, suddenly uneasy, ran ont onto the ramp's end. He stood there, gazing skyward as cold fingers of fear clutched at his heart. The plane ‘was beginning to spin—she was logy, Art could never pall her out of it now — Numbed, Jim stood and watched. Lester swore be- nath his breath. Motor droning, white plumes of exhaust streaking Uchind her, the Fairchild disappeared tehind the hills. Came a moment of waiting, tense, awful—then a rend- ing, tearing erash shook the earth. “The silence that followed was petrifying, full of dread. ‘Then Jim snapped out of it, and rushed to the shore. He passed the cabins, began a mad scramble up the timbered hills, Branches ripped at his face but he failed to give them notice. He was looking ahead, expecting to see, yet dreading, a black cloud of smoke that would tu the wreck into a funeral pyre. But none came, A half mile away Jim caught a glimpse of a bit of erimson fabric in the top of a giant spruce. Beneath the spriice, settled in a bed of broken birches, was C-FAR. Her wings were crumpled, her propeller and motor buried, The tail was up, elevators and rudder canted crazily. Jim swarmed over the wreckage and yanked! at the twisted and binding door. Al three men were dead, their broken bodies jammed between chairs and instrument board. There was little for recognition about Art Nelson, His face had taleen the fall impact of the crash. Jim carzied him out ancl Inid him on one of the tattered wings as Pete Lester ancl Jim trembled with the bald-headed cook arrived. emotion, Tt seemed unreal that this smashed body could be that, of Art Nelson—Art, who less than fifteen minutes be- fore had been grinning and vital, The Art Nelson who had winked at Jim as he sat joshing old Dan McGillvray. ‘Fim Brett swallowed a hump inthis throat "Crazy stuff. You did it once too often, Art, old htmare. As he worked at Ed Durant, (Turn to foge 71) Tt was all a horrible cextricating MeGillvray and